Chamber and committees

I speak in this debate as a member of the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee.

The Scottish Government is enhancing the equality of outcomes for people and communities across Scotland. Only days ago, we marked international women’s day, and I was pleased to hear directly from the First Minister that the Scottish Government is working to ensure that women and girls have equal rights and opportunities, and equitable access to resources. That work includes delivering the women’s health plan; investing to tackle domestic violence against women, girls and survivors of abuse; supporting women to access fair work; and helping to reduce the gender pay gap.

Violence against women and girls in any form has no place in our country. I have long campaigned on that, going back to my days as a councillor in West Dunbartonshire, when I chaired the West Dunbartonshire violence against women partnership. I direct members to my entry in the register of members’ interests. I support the commitment of all who are involved in the area, including the fantastic Clydebank Women’s Aid, which provides support, information and refuge for women in their time of need.

I support policies such as the equally safe strategy, which sets out a vision of

“a strong and flourishing Scotland where all individuals are equally safe and protected”.

The equally safe strategy prioritises taking a public health approach to ending violence against women and girls, and challenges the notion that violence against women and girls is acceptable. It also takes account of the specific needs of minority ethnic women, and takes an intersectional approach to preventing and responding to the inequalities that some women or young people might experience as a result of their ethnicity, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or immigration status.

The Equality Act 2010 protects people from discrimination that happens because of their protected characteristics, including age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion, sex and sexual orientation. It allows for provision of single-sex spaces and separate-sex services. It is the Scottish Government’s duty to uphold the Equality Act 2010 at all times, and the Government stands firmly behind the exemptions that were provided in that act. It is expected that public bodies will conduct their policies and procedures in line with the legislation that is in place.

Further, the Equality Act 2010 includes the public sector equality duty, and there are specific regulations that apply in Scotland to help listed public authorities to meet the public sector equality duty. Its purpose is to make sure that public authorities and organisations that carry out public functions think about how they can improve society and promote equality in every aspect of their day-to-day business. It is unlawful for service providers—public or private—to discriminate against someone based on their protected characteristics. The Scottish Government is also committed to working with the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

The 2025-26 Scottish budget will protect and support on-going efforts to tackle inequality, fulfil human rights and allow everyone in Scotland to live free from discrimination. To achieve that, equality, inclusion and human rights spending is set to increase by £6 million to £58.9 million in 2025-26. That includes more than £42 million to support Scotland’s equality and human rights infrastructure and it will fund organisations.

The Scottish Government has also launched a new fairer funding pilot to provide additional multiyear funding to organisations across Scotland, which will be worth £61.7 million in 2025-26 and £63.2 million in 2026-27. The 2025-26 spending plans are set to enhance the quality of outcomes for people and communities across Scotland.

It is vital that we protect women’s rights. The Scottish Government understands that and is taking action on that. Equality should not be a culture war battleground, but a shared goal for us all. The horrible irony of Opposition members trying to shout down women in this debate is clearly lost on them.

My colleagues and I in the SNP will always stand up for fairness and dignity, and for a Scotland where everyone has the right to live peacefully and safely.

Thanks for that. What do you think, Jatin Haria?

Thank you for that. Jill Wood, do you have anything to add?

Good morning, panel. Having listened to your earlier responses to my colleagues’ questions, I feel that the delay in the PSED reform seems to be affecting every organisation’s ability to fulfil the duty. Do you want to say any more about that? I was going to go to Lindsey Millen first. I am sorry to put you on the spot, Lindsey, but I listened to what you said about all the work that you have done on the matter. Do you want to say anything about what more can be done to assist in that respect?

How has your organisation been receiving updates? How have updates about the PSED reform been communicated to you by the Scottish Government?

Thanks, Lindsey. Your comments are really important to us, given that we will be hearing from the minister next week. Does anyone else want to come in on that question?

Good morning, panel. I note that you observed the previous panel session, so you probably heard the question that I asked and the responses that I got about the delay to the PSED reform having an impact on organisations’ abilities to fulfil those duties. Has the delay had a similar effect on your organisations? I ask Pauline Nolan to answer first.

Do you have any suggestions on what needs to happen?

I welcome the chance to contribute in order to assert what is necessary to support households with cost of living pressures and rising energy bills. I thank Children’s Hospices Across Scotland and other organisations for their informative briefings.

The Scottish Government is taking clear and substantial action to support households by investing £6.9 billion in social security. In 2025-26, it will support around 2 million people with the cost of living crisis and it will, by providing more than £300 million in heat in building programmes, support more than 20,000 households to save up to £500 a year on their energy bills.

The debate also gives me a chance to highlight how local individuals and groups in my constituency have been working tirelessly to support those in need. Those groups offer targeted local support that works in tandem with the Scottish Government’s financial support. There are many, so I will name only a few. They include the centre81 initiative; Kilbowie St Andrews church; Improving Lives; Old Kilpatrick Food Parcels; and Dalmuir Barclay church. All provide warm hubs with food and drinks and a safe space in which to have a chat and socialise.

Many of those groups, and others such as West Dunbartonshire Community Foodshare, East Dunbartonshire Foodbank, which is based in Milngavie, and Faifley food share also provide food pantries, supplying thousands of food parcels for those in need. Going even further, the likes of the Recycle Room and Isaro Community Initiative, among many others, recycle clothes and household items and offer energy-saving advice to those who need it.

Having held annual cost of living events in Clydebank, which continue to be well attended, I know how valuable those local groups are to my constituents, and I am so grateful to them all. I welcome the cabinet secretary’s announcement today of the investment of £2 million that will fund wraparound support to households.

Prior to the general election in July last year, Labour said that it would lower energy bills by £300, yet, only months later, Ofgem announced that the price cap would rise to £1,849 this year. That is the third increase in a row, and the cap is 9.4 per cent higher than it was this time last year. Have Keir Starmer and the Labour Party been uneconomical with the truth? It seems so. A recent opinion poll found that just 12 per cent of Scots think that Labour will cut energy bills. That is appalling, especially when Scotland is such an energy source. Sir Keir Starmer must apologise for breaking his promises and urgently outline the emergency steps that he will take to reverse those huge increases to household bills. Scotland is an energy-rich country, yet, under Labour, families are being forced to pay electricity prices that are among the highest in Europe.

High energy bills will impact many people, but that impact will be particularly challenging for families who have a child with a life-limiting condition. Alongside the costs of specialist equipment and adaptations, those families often face higher energy bills, and family members are often less able to work because of caring responsibilities. According to CHAS, such families are often paying double the amount of the average household to keep their child safe and comfortable. It is a heartbreaking situation that causes significant stress for families at a time when they should be able to focus on their child.

Lack of action from the UK Government on energy bills has real and devastating consequences. I urge my Labour colleagues in the chamber to listen to the calls from CHAS and other charities for the UK Government to take forward a social energy tariff to ease financial pressures on vulnerable households that face high energy costs. It is welcome that the Scottish Government’s social tariff working group aims to make recommendations to the UK Government on the design of a social tariff mechanism.

To make matters worse, at the end of last year, the Labour Government made the appalling decision to cut the winter fuel allowance. In trying to make savings, Labour decided to pick the pockets of pensioners. Despite uproar from the public, it has refused to U-turn. Even Labour members voted at their party conference to reverse that cut. There are dreadful briefings that they are now targeting those who are on disability benefits. Paul O’Kane and his predecessor, Pam Duncan-Glancy, now have a so-called voice for those who are disabled, so that is absolutely betrayal personified.

The Scottish Government will mitigate the Labour UK Government’s cruel cuts and reinstate, for example, a universal winter fuel payment, ensuring that every pensioner gets a payment next year. That will come as a great relief to my constituents and pensioners across Scotland.

That is further proof that the SNP will prioritise and protect those who are in need. While the Labour Party pushes families into poverty, the SNP will protect them. I call on the Labour MSPs in the chamber today to call on the UK Government to make urgent progress to reduce energy bills for their constituents. We need action from their Government now, not later.

It is a lifeline to many, as you know.